Unsteady
by purplepagoda
Summary: This takes place during the first season, when Rory goes to a party, while Lorelai visits Max. What if things had turned out completely different? What if Rory had slept with Tristan? Will one of the Gilmore Girls end up pregnant, after their brief indiscretions?
1. Chapter 1

_Present day:_

 _Rory sits across from her mother, at her kitchen table. She sips her coffee. Lorelai looks over at her daughter. She has dark circles under her eyes. Rory stares into her cup of coffee. Her forehead wrinkles, and worry is written all over her face._

" _What's on your mind, Rory?"_

 _Rory shrugs, "Do you ever wonder how things would have been, if we had done things differently? What if…"_

 _Lorelai interrupts, "You can't spend your whole life wondering what if."_

" _Don't you ever wonder?"_

" _One day changed my whole life. One day changed both of our lives, forever."_

" _Things went in a direction that neither one of us anticipated, I can admit that. I wouldn't take any of it back, if that is what you're asking."_

" _You don't have regrets?"_

" _Are you telling me that you do?"_

" _I didn't say that," she admits._

" _Rory, where is this coming from all of a sudden?"_

 _Rory just shrugs, but doesn't respond._

* * *

3/15/01

Rory presses her lips up against Tristan's as they sit on the piano bench together. He pulls away, and she stares into his bright brown eyes. She feels her heart skip a beat, and in a second she makes a decision. Suddenly she feels nervous energy washing over her.

"Don't stop," she tells him.

He smirks at her, "Mary…" trying to dissuade her.

She scoots closer, pressing her lips against his ear, "Don't stop."

"Are you sure?"

She ignores the butterflies in her stomach, and her mother's voice screaming at her, "Yes."

He nods in agreement, "Let's go somewhere a little more private."

"Okay," she agrees, naively. She doesn't consider the potential ramifications of the choices that she has just made. He takes her by the hand, and leads her up the back staircase to a guest room. Within a few minutes it is all over, and they are both scrambling to get re-dressed.

* * *

She gets home late, but her mother doesn't give her the third degree. When she arrives home Lorelai is already in her pajamas, wearing a pre-occupied look on her face. Rory swiftly heads into the bathroom to take a shower.

The next several days are quiet between the two Lorelai's. Both of them seem to have heads filled with private thoughts. Rory keeps the secret to herself. The silence of a secret so large burns her light a hot flame. She feels an urgent need to share the truth with someone, before she explodes. Rory finishes her schoolwork, and heads off to Lane's. When she arrives at the Kim residence she races up the stairs to Lane's bedroom. When she reaches her destination she closes the door behind her. Lane sits at her desk, finishing her homework.

"Where is the fire?"

"Lane I need to talk to you!"

"So, talk."

"The other night, at the party, when you couldn't find me…" she trails off.

"What about it?"

"Lane, I did something that I shouldn't have."

Lane furrows her brow, "Like what?"

"Something monumentally stupid," Rory feels her heart racing a mile a minute.

"Rory calm down, and breathe."

Rory nods, as Lane points to her bed, "Have a seat."

Rory lowers herself to the edge of the bed. Lane takes a seat next to her.

"Whatever it is, you can tell me."

"I slept with Tristan," the words fall from her mouth like hot coals.

"You did what?!"

"We had sex."

"What?!"

"You heard me the first time."

"How was it?"

She shrugs, "Quick?" Which is the first thing that comes to her mind. She fails to mention any racy details.

"Was it good?"

She shrugs once again, "I don't know. I have nothing to compare it to."

"Rory are you okay?" Lane asks Rory, who looks incredibly pale.

"No. I did something so stupid. I was feeling sorry for myself, and I made a really stupid decision. My mom is going to kill me."

"You don't have to tell her," Lane points out.

"I am surprised she hasn't figured out already. Honestly, I am surprised I haven't told her yet. Every time I am around her I feel like I am going to have diarrhea of the mouth, or worse."

"What could be worse?"

"I am going to make eye contact with her, and she is just going to know somehow."

"How would she know?"

Rory shrugs, "She has some sort of sixth sense when it comes to me. I can't really explain it."

"Did you use protection?"

"Of course."

"Then, maybe you should just tell her."

"I'll be grounded until I'm thirty."

Lane shrugs, "She should be over it by then."

When Rory arrives home Lorelai is sitting on the couch. She turns around to greet her daughter.

"Rory, I need to talk to you," she announces.

Rory's eyes widen, "Oh?" She feels a sense of impending doom. Her stomach begins to churn. Her gut tells her that this is where her mother calls her to the carpet. She knows that she is no match to Lorelai's judgmental looks.

"Have a seat," Lorelai suggests.

Rory reluctantly joins her mother on the couch. She fidgets, as she tries to find a comfortably position. She turns to her mother, signaling that she is ready to listen. She refuses to make eye contact, knowing her mother will be able to read her facial expression. She knows it is all over if she does.

"Rory, you know that I hate to keep secrets from you."

"Yes," her spidey senses begin to tingle.

"If I screw up, I am willing to admit that."

"Yes," her pulse begins to race yet again.

"I don't want you to feel like you have to keep things from me," Lorelai continues.

"I understand," her heart sinks.

"So I feel that it is only fair that I show you the same respect."

Rory makes eye contact, as she furrows her brow, "What?!"

"Rory, the other night when you went to that party I went to Max's."

She waits for a beat, as she tries to process this information, "What?!"

"I don't know why I did it. It was stupid. I don't know what I was thinking. Obviously, I wasn't."

"What are you telling me?"

"I went over there, and I poured my heart out to him."

"Did you sleep with him?"

Lorelai falls silent, "I think it was a mistake."

Rory's nostrils flare, "Then why did you do it?"

"I guess I needed closure," she answers.

"Closure? Are you kidding me? Are you going to get back together with him?"

"That isn't the plan," she admits.

"It never is," Rory exhales, frustrated.

"Rory!"

Rory vacates her seat on the couch, and storms off to her room. She slams the door shut. She curls up onto a ball in her bed. As she lies there she wonders to herself who she's really angry at. The tears burn her cheeks as they stream down her face. She feels like a coward for not telling her mother the truth. She vows to tell her the truth.


	2. Chapter 2

The crap shack is rife with tension for the next several weeks. The tension comes to a head one lovely Saturday morning. Lorelai stands outside of the bathroom door, with her arms folded across her chest, waiting for Rory to exit. She pounds on the door once more. Rory's radio blares music from its perch on the bathroom counter. Inside the bathroom Rory stands in front of the sink scrubbing her teeth for the third time this morning.

"Rory, I have to pee!"

"I'll be out in a minute."

"That is what you said ten minutes ago," Lorelai growls in frustration. She can't hear what Rory is doing in the bathroom over her music. She exits the hall, and heads into the kitchen. She contemplates peeing in the sink, before the coffee pot catches her attention. She proceeds to load the coffee maker with a filter, and coffee. She dumps in the water, and waits as the wonderful dark liquid begins to brew. The scent wafts through the kitchen. She inhales, and suddenly she feels overwhelmingly nauseous. She races over to the sink just in time to empty the contents of her stomach. She grips the sink, as she stands there, suddenly feeling lightheaded. Once she's done vomiting, she rinses her mouth out with water, and heads over to the fridge. She studies the grocery list. The third item on the list jumps out to her. Apples? When had she put apples on the list? She groans inwardly. She races across the room, and pulls the calendar off the wall. As she studies the date she suddenly feels as if she is going to have a repeat episode of emesis. She hears the bathroom door open, and rushes past Rory.

"Where's the fire?"

Lorelai barely makes it to the porcelain bowl. Rory grabs her hair out of the way at the last minute. When the episode of emesis is over Lorelai flushes, and heads to the sink. She thoroughly swishes, and brushes her teeth.

"Are you coming down with something?" Rory questions, feeling relief that Lorelai is too sick to notice anything is amiss with her.

"I sure hope so."

Rory furrows her brow, "You probably are. I feel as if I am probably to blame. I haven't been feeling so hot the past few days, myself." Rory spares her mother the gory details of hours of endless vomit as part of her new morning routine.

"Oh, sweetie," she kisses Rory's forehead, "I have a feeling you're not to blame for this."

"What do you mean?"

"I am going to get dressed, and we are going to take a trip to Hartford."

"What for?"

"Red vines," Lorelai fibs.

"I don't understand."

"It has something to do with apples," Lorelai mutters nonsensically.

"Apples? I could go for an apple. A candied apple."

Lorelai shakes her head, "I certainly hope not."

"You have failed to provide enough context for me to understand what is going on."

"I'll explain in the car."

Twenty minutes later they are both buckled into the car, ready for a trek to Hartford. Lorelai reaches for the radio dial the second that they pull out of the driveway. The music drowns out the silence for the next twenty minutes. Just outside of Hartford Rory breaks the silence.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"I put apples on the grocery list," Lorelai explains.

"You want something healthy for a change? Are we going to alert the news media, or something?" Rory tries not to offer too much attitude, as her mind races about her own problems.

"I craved apples when I was pregnant with you."

A beat passes, and Rory's eyes widen. "You think that you're pregnant?!"

"That is what we're going to find out," Lorelai answers.

"You have to be kidding me! Didn't you use protection? You constantly preach to me…"

"I am only human. Rory I am not the best of role model's right now."

"Clearly."

"I can drop you off at your grandmother's if you want. You don't have to join me."

"I'll come," Rory agrees as her thoughts and stomach begin to churn, once again.

Lorelai welcomes the silence. Rory stares out her window, considering her own plight. It has been five weeks since her tryst with Tristan. She has been feeling nauseated for days. Just today the nausea came to fruition in the form of emesis. She reminds herself that they used protection. She tries to shake the idea from her head. She swallows hard, feeling sick, as she considers the apple she chowed down on the previous day, at lunch.

Fifteen minutes later Rory leans against the counter in a public restroom, waiting for her mother to exit the stall. She chews on her nail, nervously as she contemplates her own fate. She feels queasy as she studies her watch. She hears hinges squeak, and looks up to find her mother coming out of the bathroom stall. Lorelai looks incredibly pale. The despondent look on her face tells Rory everything that she needs to know. Lorelai clutches the plastic stick in her hand.

"What are you going to do?"

Lorelai shrugs, "I don't know."

"I thought that you decided that you didn't want to be with Max," Rory points out.

"I don't."

"So now what?"

"Are you hungry?" Lorelai assumes.

"Not particularly." _I still feel like I could puke, because I might be pregnant,_ she thinks to herself.

"We should just go home, I guess."

"I thought that there were two tests in that box. What did you do with the other one?"

Lorelai tosses the positive pregnancy test into the trashcan.

"I put it in my purse. I keep thinking that if I take it later, maybe something will change."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Rory queries, hoping that she doesn't.

Lorelai shakes her head, "I just want to go home."


	3. Chapter 3

Late that night when Rory is certain that Lorelai is asleep she exits her room. She tiptoes into the kitchen, and reaches into her mother's purse, which rests on the table. She fishes out the pregnancy test, and scurries into the bathroom. She closes, and locks the door behind her. She flips on the light. She quickly pees on the stick, and places it on the counter. She sits on the edge of the tub as she watches the second hands on her watch tick by. After the allotted time frame she vacates her seat, slowly rising to her feet. She staggers over to the counter, and casts her eyes downward. An obscenely bright plus sign stares up at her. Her stomach immediately twists into knots.

Suddenly she feels incredibly overwhelmed. She exhales, and tears begin to stroll down her cheeks. There is no way she can ever tell her mother. That is more disappointment than she can handle in one lifetime. Especially, now with her own baby on the way. Rory lowers herself to the floor. She lies down on the bathroom rug, beside the bathtub trying to sift through her thoughts.

 _What was I thinking? How could this happen to me? I don't understand. It was just once. We used protection. I can't tell anyone. A baby at sixteen? Everyone will be so disappointed. A single teenaged mother. Kiss Harvard goodbye. Kiss Chilton goodbye. One mistake, and now my entire future is ruined. She told me this would happen. Why didn't I listen?_

Lorelai rolls over, and briefly glances at the moon coming in her window. She lies on her side, and tries to process all the news that the day had to bring. One mistake with Max. Max is an upstanding, decent guy, but she doesn't love him. This isn't fair, to start all over, now. In a few years Rory will be off to college. What was she thinking?

* * *

A few weeks later Rory is in Hartford at a Planned Parenthood. She has used a fake name, and address. She feels consumed with guilt, as the nurse calls her name. The nausea hasn't subsided, and the guilt grows with each day. The nurse leads her back to an exam room. A doctor comes in and examines her. They take her into another room for an ultrasound.

Her pulse quickens as they squirt the warm gel onto her stomach. She watches the screen as it shifts from black to grey. Suddenly a tiny image appears on the screen. Her terror shifts into amazement as the room is filled by the sound of a tiny heartbeat.

"The baby looks healthy."

She can't find the words to respond, for the first time in her life. After the appointment is over she finds herself on the bus. She spends forty minutes on the bus. Eventually she reaches her destination. She walks up the driveway of a multi-million dollar home. Her anxiety rises, as she moves towards the house. A car pulls up behind her. She steps aside, so it can get past. It stops next to her. The window rolls down. Tristan looks at her with intrigue.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you."

"Hop in, and I'll take you for a spin."

Against her better judgment she climbs into the passenger's seat. She tosses her book bag into the back.

"I like it when you're not in uniform," Tristan admits as he backs out the driveway.

"As do I."

"So what brings you to my hood?'

"My grandparents live six blocks away, and I am going to their house for dinner tonight," she conceals her sweaty palms. She feels overwhelmingly nervous, and nauseated.

"You were in the hood, so you just stopped by?" He raises an eyebrow.

"No, I wanted to talk to you," admittedly.

"About what?"

"That night."

"Look, Rory, I didn't tell anyone, if that's what you're worried about. I don't kiss and tell."

She shakes her head, "No, it's not that."

"You've come back for more?"

"Hardly."

He picks up on the worried look on her face as he pulls up to a stop sign.

"Are you worried that I gave you something? I have a clean bill of health. We used protection, too."

"I don't think that it worked."

He furrows his brow, "What would make you say that?"

"I don't really know how to say this, but there is something that I need to tell you."

"Okay."

"I'm pregnant."

"With a baby?! Mary!"

"It's yours."

"Are you sure?"

"It was just the once, for me."

"I don't understand. We used a condom."

"Obviously it didn't work."

"Are you serious? Or is this some prank?"

She falls silent. The look on her face tells him everything that he needs to know. He pulls off the road, into someone's driveway. She fishes a folded image out of the pocket of her pants. He slips the picture out of her hands. He nervously runs his fingers through his hair. She expects him to act like a total jerk, and offer her a wad of cash to 'take care of it'. She watches him, as he studies the black, and white image. For half a second it looks like he's smirking. He gives the picture back to her.

"I am so sorry. I don't know how this happened. We took precautions," she begins.

"Maybe the condom broke."

"I don't think it was a maybe," she points out.

"Tell me what you want to do," he suggests.

She furrows her brow, "You aren't going to just try to throw money at me, so it will go away?"

"No. I am not as bad of a guy as you think I am. I am not going to tell you that I'm thrilled, but are two reasonably intelligent people, who can figure out the best way to handle this."

"I want to go to Harvard."

"I know, Mary. It's all you ever talk about."

"We made a mistake. I don't want that to define the rest of our lives. I have given it a lot of thought, and I have decided that I want to give the baby up for adoption. I'm not planning on telling anyone."

"You're going to keep it a secret?"

"Yes," she nods in confirmation.

"On one condition," he insists.

"What's that?"

"You let me be there."

"You want to be there?"

"When the baby is born," he clarifies, "I would like to at least meet the life we created."

"I never pegged you as the sentimental type."

"There is a heart in there somewhere, Mary."

"Okay. When the time comes, you can be there," she agrees, knowing with his history it is unlikely that he will show up.


	4. Chapter 4

Across town Lorelai finds herself facing her own music. She stands outside a somewhat familiar door. She takes a deep breath, and feels as if she could vomit into the bushes. She shakes off the feeling, and contemplates turning to leave. The door opens, before she has the chance to knock. Max looks up, surprised to see her. He smiles widely.

"What are you doing here?" He asks her.

"I hope that I didn't catch you at a bad time," she prays that she has, so she can entirely avoid this conversation.

"Not at all. I am just surprised to see you here," he admits.

"We need to talk," she begins.

"By all means, come in."

She nods, and follows him in. She takes a seat on his couch.

"What brings you by?"

"I am on the way to my parent's for dinner. I can't stay long."

"I haven't heard from you for a while. I thought that maybe you had changed your mind."

"There have just been other things on my mind," she admits.

"You've been busy at the inn?"

"More than that," she answers.

He pauses to scrutinize her face. He picks up on the pronounced worry line on her forehead. She looks pale, and he notices dark circles under her eyes.

"Are you okay? You look exhausted."

"It's only temporary."

"What is?"

"My state of being."

He furrows his brow, "What state of being? Are you ill?"

"Max you are a great guy."

"But, you don't want to continue a relationship?"

"I am not sure how much of a choice we have in that matter."

"What do you mean?"

"I am not entirely ready to reengage in a romantic relationship with you right now."

"Lorelai what are you doing here?"

"I thought that you deserved to know."

"Know what?"

"Max, I'm pregnant."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm pregnant."

"Oh."

"It's yours," she adds.

He nods, "I picked up on that."

"I don't know how you want to go about this, but I just don't think that we are going to work out."

"You are suggesting that we co-parent."

"I am suggesting that you partake in whatever level of involvement that you are comfortable with."

"So this happened how long ago?" He tries to recall.

"I am about eight weeks along," she explains, as she reaches into her back pocket. She pulls out a sonogram photo, and hands it to him. "This is from a couple of weeks ago."

"Wow! I was not expecting this," he responds.

"I am sorry to spring this on you."

"You had to tell me at some point."

"I don't want you to feel pressured. Take your time. Call me after you have had a chance to process all of this," she suggests.

"Okay," he agrees, offering the photo back to her.

"You can keep it," she insists, "I have more."

* * *

When Lorelai arrives at Friday night dinner Emily, and Rory are already waiting. She takes a seat next to Rory, and instantly picks up on Rory's demeanor. Before she has the chance to utter a single word, Emily shatters the silence.

"Lorelai can I get you a drink?"

"No mom, I'm fine," she responds, without considering the ramifications of her answer.

Emily freezes mid-step, and turns towards her adult daughter. She furrows her brow, and locks eyes with her daughter.

"I have your favorite white wine."

"I'm fine," Lorelai brushes her off.

"What is going on?" Emily's eyes widen.

Lorelai shrugs, "Mom, what are you talking about?"

"You have turned me down on my offer for weeks."

"When is dad joining us?" She tries to change the subject.

"He's out of town. He told us he was going to Boise, last week," Rory reminds her.

"Right."

"Lorelai, I asked a question, and I expect an answer."

"Nothing is going on," Lorelai lies.

"Unbelievable," Emily responds in an exasperated tone.

Lorelai turns towards Rory, "What is she talking about?"

Rory scowls, "I don't know, she is your mother."

"I should have known," Emily growls.

"Known what?" Rory steps in.

"You both know exactly what I am talking about. Don't play dumb. You're pale, and I saw you willingly eat a fruit, and a vegetable last week at dinner. I should have said something then."

"Say something now," Lorelai suggests.

"You're pregnant, aren't you?"

Lorelai falls silent. She turns to Rory looking for help.

"Lorelai Victoria Gilmore! Answer me!"

"Well," she begins to hem-haw.

"Well is not an answer," Emily chides.

"Yes, I am."

"Would it kill you to do something in the right order for once in your life?"

"It probably would," Rory chimes in.

"Mom, I'm sorry."

"Who is he? Do you even know who he is?"

Lorelai furrows her brow, "What do you mean, do I even know who he is?"

"Mom, I think that she is implying you are a woman of questionable morals who has brief encounters with the male counterpart. Encounters which may be meaningless, and not even require you to learn their names."

"Is that what you think of me?" Lorelai turns towards her mother.

"I stopped pretending that I knew what you did with your life, when I found out that you were pregnant with Rory."

"I know who the father is. There is no doubt," Lorelai insists.

"Are you going to marry him? Wait, what am I saying? Of course you won't," Emily feels herself going into a dangerously familiar, and destructive pattern.

"Mom, I am sorry that I have failed to ever live up to your expectations. I am sorry that my choices tarnish your reputation, somehow. I know that you don't agree with all of the choices that I make, but for just like half of a second can you just be happy? You're going to have another grandchild."

Rory pushes Lorelai's bag towards her. Lorelai smiles graciously at her daughter, and pulls out a black, and white image. She hands it to her mother. Emily accepts the sonogram picture, and lowers herself onto the couch. She studies the image, and her tough exterior is briefly infiltrated by happiness. She grins at the image.

"Lorelai I have no doubt that you can raise a child on your own. You have done an exceptional job raising Rory, but I am concerned. This puts a lot of financial pressure on you. How are you going to have the time to run an inn, take care of Rory, and a newborn? That is a lot for anyone person."

"I'm not alone in this."

"What about the father? Is he going to contribute?"

"I am not sure how big of a role he will play, just yet."

"You should tell her the whole story," Rory suggests.

Lorelai looks at Rory, crossly.

"Meaning what?" Emily queries.

"It's Max," she reveals.

"Max? The baby? You're going to call it Max?"

Rory shakes her head, "No, grandma, as in Mister Medina."

"Your teacher?!"


	5. Chapter 5

Lorelai climbs into the driver's seat, and feels completely defeated. She turns to her daughter, as she reaches for her seatbelt.

"Thanks for the support in there," Lorelai growls.

"You had to tell her the truth, eventually."

"Not your decision."

"Mom, she was going to find out, eventually. Now she has plenty of time to cycle through all of the stages of accepting this, before the baby gets here. You have to admit, she did make some excellent points."

"Such as?"

"Where are you going to put the baby?"

"You don't need to be playing devil's advocate, here."

"I'm serious. It's not staying with me."

"I guess that it is time we made some tweaks to the crap shack."

"I'll say."

"Rory, what is going on with you?"

She furrows her brow, "What are you talking about?"

"You see quiet, and moody lately."

"I'm just tired. I had a long day."

"Not just today."

"Mom, I'm fine."

"Rory, this is me you're talking to."

"I guess that I am just having a hard time adjusting," she stretches the truth.

"Oh, Rory. I can imagine. Your grandmother, much to my chagrin, had some very valid points. There are going to be a lot of changes in the upcoming months. I am always going to be your mom. You are my first born, my favorite."

"Your favorite? How can you determine that? You haven't even met the second fruit of your loins yet."

"You will always be my favorite."

"What if it's cute?"

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course it will be cute. My feelings about you will never change."

"Have you told Sookie, yet?"

"She is getting suspicious."

"Because of your current disdain of coffee?"

"I don't have a disdain of coffee. I just have to avoid it at all costs, so I don't vomit everywhere. I will always love coffee. It just seems as if munchkin number two isn't overly interested in partaking."

"Luke has definitely noticed, he just hasn't said anything."

* * *

That night Rory lies in bed, wide awake. She tosses, and turns, and fails to get comfortable. She can't help but think of how hypocritical she is acting towards her mother. She can't even bear to tell her mother that she had sex. She wonders if she will ever be able to tell her that she's pregnant. She feels guilty for keeping such a monumental fact from her mother. Fear washes over her, and reminds her that Lorelai is her mother's daughter, and will probably have a similar reaction to such news.

* * *

Luke places a plate of eggs in front of Lorelai. Rory sips her coffee silently, as she reaches for her fork. Lorelai furrows her brow.

"I did not order this. I ordered chocolate chip pancakes with extra chocolate syrup."

"They are on their way."

"I don't want eggs."

"They are good for you, they have protein. Eat them."

"I would prefer pancakes."

"Eggs first," he argues.

"I take vitamins, what more do you want from me?"

"Do you want some coffee?"

"I'll pass."

"You know I am not buying you're sudden flight to health, right?"

"Yup," she nods.

"Green tea, is not something you find palatable."

"I am aware," Lorelai admits.

"Yet you keep drinking it."

"What choice do I have?"

"If you don't say something soon, you're going to become a topic of discussion."

"What makes you say that?"

"You're missing a button," he tells her, as he turns to walk away.

She looks down, and finds the bottom button of her blouse missing. Rory finishes drinking her coffee.

"I'm going to school."

Lorelai kisses her on the forehead, and she heads for the bus-stop.

* * *

Finally school has drawn to a close. Rory exits the building on the last day of school with a rather light backpack. She hears someone calling her name, and turns to find Tristan. She walks over to his car, approaching his open passenger's side window.

"Can I give you a ride?"

"I am going to my grandparents," she informs him.

"Then it's on the way."

She climbs into the car. She buckles her seat-belt, and he rolls up the window. He pulls out of the Chilton lot.

"Why are you offering me a ride?"

"I wanted to talk to you."

"There's not really anything to talk about."

"Rory, my father is enrolling me in military school."

"Oh."

He hands her a piece of paper with a phone number on it, "This is where you can reach me."

Rory nods in agreement, "Okay."

"One more thing."

"Yeah?"

"Are you still committed to hiding this, and sticking it out at Chilton next year?"

"The baby isn't due until Christmas time. I can have it, and go back to school after break."

He points to his backseat, "Then you're going to need these."

She finds a pile of uniforms lying on his backseat. "You got me uniforms? I don't understand. Why are you being nice to me?"

"I genuinely like you as a human being, and whether we like it, or not, you're having my baby. You are doing a really amazing thing."

"What do you mean?" She furrows her brow.

"We can both admit that neither one of us are ready to be parents."

"Absolutely."

"You're giving all three of us the opportunity to have futures. I just want to make sure you have whatever you need to make that happen."

"Thank you, I guess."

"I have been doing a lot of thinking lately," he admits.

"About?"

"The future. I am changing my ways, Mary. I am going to do my best to become a respectable adult."

She laughs, "I'll believe it, when I see it."

"You just wait, Mary. I am going to surprise you."

"You are in trouble every other day."

"I can turn over a new leaf, can't I?"

"You can try. Where is this coming from?"

He shrugs, "It's stupid."

"Tell me."

"I had a dream about her."

Rory looks at him in genuine confusion, "Who?"

"The baby."

"You had a dream about the baby?" She furrows her brow. She looks at him in utter disbelief.

"She was this beautiful little girl. She smiled at me, and it made me really happy."

"Have you had a recent head injury? Who are you? I don't think that I know you."


	6. Chapter 6

It is mid-August, and it is nearly time for Rory to go back to school. She is sitting on her bed, reading, when she hears the door swing open. She closes her book, and vacates her seat on the bed. She finds Lorelai stomping into the house.

"What is your problem?"

"I can't believe it!"

"Max didn't make it to the appointment?"

"He was there."

"Are you upset that he was there?"

"No. That was the agreement."

"So, what is your problem?"

"I don't know what to do. I mean I knew what to do with you. You were this sweet little pink baby girl."

Rory leads her to the couch, "Slow down. What are you talking about?"

Lorelai takes a seat on the couch, "It has a penis."

"What has a penis?"

"The baby."

"No," Rory shakes her head.

"Yes. It was as plain as day."

"I was going to have a sister. Her room is finally constructed, thanks to Tom. You mentioned the name Lulu, which I quickly rejected. I just don't know if I can wrap my head around this. What am I supposed to do with a brother?"

"They don't make cute clothes for boys. I can't put a sundress on him, or a bonnet."

"I bet Max was thrilled."

"Completely."

"I think it will be okay," Rory insists.

"Boys are gross," she reminds her.

"I think I am going to go for a walk. I need to wrap my head around this."

"Okay," Lorelai agrees, "I am going to have to rethink my whole life plan while you're gone."

Rory exit's the house in her mother's black Led Zepplin t-shirt. She makes a beeline for Kim's Antiques. She opens the door, and finds Mrs. Kim waiting on a customer. She races up the stairs. She finds Lane in her room.

"Rory!" She grins as Rory closes the door.

Rory takes a seat on the edge of Lane's bed.

"Rory, what's wrong?"

"I think I have to tell her."

"Rory, we have been over this a hundred times. She has enough on her plate as it is."

"I know."

"She is going to be so disappointed."

"I know."

"How will she ever forgive you?"

"I don't know."

"Where is this coming from?"

"I just feel so overwhelmed. What if someone else finds out? What am I going to do?"

"No one is going to find out."

"What if Chilton finds out, and they kick me out?"

"They aren't going to find out."

"Look at me. Someone is going to find out."

"Rory you can't tell."

" _I_ can tell!"

"That is because the baby is inside of you," Lane points out.

"I can't keep this from her forever. She is going to find out, eventually."

"Are you ready for her wrath?"

"No. I am kind of glad that she has everything else going on. She hasn't noticed that I am wearing her old band t-shirts more, and more."

"When are you going to tell her? What if you go in labor on the same day? Do you really think you can hide it from her forever?"

"It takes all that I have not to tell her, now."

* * *

She doesn't tell her. In fact, she doesn't tell another soul. She keeps it to herself, even though the guilt eats at her every single day. At night the only solace she finds is the journal she is writing to her unborn child. She writes to the little girl each day, in hopes that one day she will be able to understand her choices. She tries not to be sucked in again. She falls down the rabbit hole. She wonders who the little girl growing inside of her will grow up to be. What will she look like? Will she ever forgive her? She tucks her journal away, and exits her room late one Saturday evening.

She finds Lorelai sitting in the living room, on the floor. The coffee table has been pushed out of the way. She finds Lorelai holding a screwdriver, staring at a booklet of instructions.

"What are you doing?"

"I am trying to put this crib together. The directions made it look easy."

"I thought that you were going to ask Luke," Rory reminds her, wondering how pregnancy could so adversely affect a woman's brain.

"It can't be that difficult. I bet if you helped me that we could get it together in a jiffy," Lorelai suggests.

"Have you lost your mind?" Rory counters, certain that she cannot conceal her secret if she spends an hour on the floor helping put a crib together.

"Why would you say such a thing?"

"You're huge. You are supposed to be having a baby in six weeks," she points out.

"Thanks for the lovely reminder."

"Why did you wait so long to get the nursery started?" She critiques.

"I have been busy. Rory, why are you being so critical all of the sudden?"

"I am tired. You haven't been the easiest person to live with lately."

"I am sorry. Are you going to help me, or not?"

"I am not mechanically inclined," Rory growls.

"Drop the attitude," Lorelai warns.

"Call Max!" Rory suggests.

"Rory!"

"He is the father. I am not! The two of you made a baby. It is not my responsibility," she raises her voice.

"Rory! What the hell? Where is all of this coming from?"

"I need some fresh air," she grabs her jacket, and races out of the house.

"Where are you going?" Lorelai yells after her.

Rory jumps on a bus, without a second thought. She is halfway to Hartford before what she's just said begins to register with her. Tears begin streaming down her face.

"Why did I do that?" She asks herself as her face grows redder. She gets off at the bus stop in Hartford. She pulls out her phone, and dials her grandmother. The maid answers the phone.

"May I speak to Emily Gilmore, please?"

"Yes, one moment."

A few moments later Emily comes to the phone. Rory doesn't wait for her to answer.

"Grandma!"

"Rory? You sound upset, what's wrong?"

"Can you come get me?"

"Where are you?"

"At the bus stop."

"Why?"

"I had a fight with mom."

"Okay. I'll be there in a few minutes," she agrees.


	7. Chapter 7

The car ride to the Gilmore residence is silent. Rory follows her grandmother into the house. She places her coat on the coat rack, and heads into the living room. Emily follows her into the room, and takes a seat next to her.

"Your mother called. She is worried about you."

"Did you tell her where I was?"

"Yes, of course I did. She was worried sick about you. Rory you can't just take off like that," Emily chides her.

"You don't understand. Please tell me that she isn't coming to get me."

"I told her that you probably just needed some time to think, and that you could stay here for the night."

"Is grandpa here?"

"No. He's out of town. Rory what happened?"

"She wanted me to help her put the crib together."

"That is what she said. I don't understand why you got so upset."

"It is complicated."

Emily turns towards her. She studies her teenage grand-daughter's facial expression. She tucks a stray clump of hair behind her ear.

"Rory what is going on with you? You have been so quiet lately. It seems to me as if you're brooding. I know that it has to be difficult to deal with everything that is going on. You have been the apple of your mother's eye since the instant that she laid eyes on you. Now you are going to have a brother, and I am sure that you are concerned what changes that is going to bring. You are so close with your mom. If something has been bothering her, why haven't you told her?"

Rory swallows hard. She exhales, and the tears come, against her will. "There is so much more going on."

"With you, and your mother?"

"Mostly with me."

"Rory, I am really worried about you," she responds in an empathetic tone.

"She has been so busy getting ready for the baby lately. I just feel very disconnected. I know part of it is my fault, though. I have been pushing her away."

"You should talk to her."

"I can't. I can't talk to her. I can't talk to anyone," she feels herself shutting down.

Emily furrows her brow, "Why not? Rory, what's going on? Are you in some kind of trouble?"

"You wouldn't understand," Rory argues as the tears begin to sting her cheeks, threatening to betray her.

Emily hands Rory a handkerchief. Rory dabs the tears from her cheeks, but they are instantly replaced by new ones. Her face grows redder with each passing second. She feels completely overwhelmed with guilt, and fear that she can hardly breathe.

"Lorelai Leigh Gilmore, I don't know what is going on with you, but I demand that you tell me, this instant."

"Grandma, I can't do this. I can't keep doing this. I try to pretend that everything is okay, but it isn't. Nothing is okay. Everything is upside down, and inside out. I don't know how much longer I can keep doing this. This isn't me," she shakes her head, "None of this is me."

Emily wraps her arms around the sobbing teenaged Gilmore girl. She kisses her forehead. "Rory everything is going to be okay."

Rory clings tightly to her. She exhales, "It won't."

Emily lets go of her. She is beside herself. She has never seen Rory so upset before.

"Rory, whatever is going on is not the end of the world. That is the most beautiful thing about life, it goes on."

"You wouldn't be saying that…" she tails off.

"Rory, tell me what is going on!" Emily demands.

"This isn't about mom asking me to help her."

"I suspected as much."

"It isn't about how our relationship is going to change because of my brother. It has everything to do with me. I cannot believe that I let this happen. Every single day I wonder how I could have been so stupid. What was I thinking?"

"I have no context to answer that," Emily points out.

"I have made a terrible mistake," Rory finally admits. She allows the words to fall from her mouth. As they do the first ounce of weight is lifted from her shoulders.

"I am sure that it isn't as bad as you think it is."

"It is so much worse. I have ruined everything. I have completely obliterated all of the efforts poured into my future, and my success."

Emily falls silent, as Rory leans back. She breathes slowly, watching her granddaughter. Rory wears a black t-shirt, that Emily recognizes as one of Lorelai's, from her teenage years. Emily tilts her head, and that's when she notices the fit of the t-shirt. She recalls Lorelai wore it when she was heavily pregnant with Rory. It should fit Rory rather loosely, but it doesn't. Her hearts sinks.

Rory sees the look in Emily's eyes shift in an instant. She takes a deep breath, and braces herself for the lecture of a lifetime. She feels the disappointment wash over her like a tidal wave. She feels her heart skip a beat. She breaks eye contact, and shifts her glance to her mother's Metallica t-shirt. Her mother has been so consumed in preparing for her impending arrival, that she hasn't noticed how frequently Rory has been wearing her vintage band t-shirts. As she avoids eye contact with her grandmother like the plague the growing unborn baby inside of her kicks her in the ribs.

"Rory," Emily finally manages to break the silence.

Rory looks up at her, "Yes?"

"No matter what you have done, or what kind of trouble you are in I am always going to love you. You know that, right?" Emily says the words that should have come from her mouth nearly eighteen years earlier.

Rory stares at her grandmother's face for what seems like an eternity, as she tries to process the words that have just fallen from her mouth.

Emily continues, after a beat, "I never told your mother that. I lectured her, and told her how she was ruining her life. I should have taken a breath, and reminded her of that simple fact. I regret that I didn't start with that all those years ago," Emily explains.

Rory simply nods in understanding.

"Now tell me what is going on," Emily pleads.


	8. Chapter 8

"I'm sorry," Rory begins.

"No," Emily shakes her head, "We're not starting there."

"Several months ago I made a really stupid decision. I thought that I was ready. We were responsible, but it didn't matter."

"Go on."

"I was at a party. I has recently broken up with Dean, and I wasn't thinking straight. I kissed this boy, from my school. I never should have kissed him."

"Then what happened?"

"She didn't raise me to be this person. She spent my entire life making sure that I would have a future. This is not what she wanted for me. This isn't want I wanted for me. It isn't what anyone wanted for me. It was just once, I guess that I foolishly thought nothing would happen. We were responsible…"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Precautions were taken. We used protection. This never should have happened. This doesn't happen to other people. It just happens to me. I want to go to Harvard. I…" she trails off.

"Rory how long ago was this?"

"Months ago."

Emily furrows her brow, "How many months ago?"

She shrugs, "It happened in March," she answers.

"Rory, that was eight months ago!"

"I know."

"Does your mother know?"

"No," she shakes her head.

"What do you mean, no?!"

"I haven't told her. I couldn't. I can't. I will never be able to tell her. I refuse to disappoint her like this. I am simply not going to let this ruin my entire life. I have worked too hard."

"Rory, you're having a baby."

"I don't want her to know."

"What is your plan? I am completely shocked that she hasn't already found out. You can't keep this from your mother. That is simply not acceptable."

"I am not going to keep this baby. I am seventeen. I still have an entire year of high school left. I am not going to give up everything that I have worked for because of this."

"Rory you can make whatever choice you want, but you have to tell your mother."

"She has enough on her plate, already."

* * *

Lorelai sits on the floor of her living room, surrounded by miscellaneous pieces to a crib. She rests her hand on her heavily pregnant stomach. She analyzes Rory's behavior from earlier in the day. It simply does not make sense. In fact little the girl has done in past months makes much sense. All of her behavior has been out of character. She slowly vacates her seat on the floor. She sighs a temporary breath of relief, knowing that she is safe in Hartford, with her mother.

She exits the living room, and heads into Rory's room. She finds a couple of her t-shirts laying on the end of Rory's bed. Rory has been wearing her t-shirts a lot lately. She hasn't brought it up, because it's not a battle worth fighting. Her gut screams at her. She looks around the room, and realizes that this is probably one of the last times that she will have the house to herself for some time. She takes a seat on Rory's bed. She notices something shiny between the mattress, and the headboard. She pulls out a spiral bound notebook. Against her better judgement she flips open the notebook, and begins to read. She flips open the notebook, and begins to read several pages in.

 _Nothing really seems to make sense right now. I feel as if my entire life has been turned upside down. This gets harder every single day. I don't know how much longer I can keep you a secret._

She thumbs through the pages, until she gets to the last page that has been written on. She takes a deep breath, and begins to read once again.

 _Lorelai,_

 _One day I hope that you will understand._

She stops reading, and closes the journal. Her head begins to spin, and her heart begins to pound. Lorelai? Clearly she isn't the Lorelai Rory is addressing. Her heart begins to sink.

Rory's hand comes to rest on her stomach, as she exhales. Emily tries her best to wrap her head around the scenario her granddaughter is presenting to her.

"Who is he?"

"His name is Tristan. It doesn't really matter. It wasn't as if we had a relationship."

"That isn't the point."

"I was incredibly injudicious in my decision making process."

"Rory, how far along are you?"

"Eight, and half months, I guess."

"Have you gone to the doctor?"

"Yes," she nods in confirmation.

"You have been keeping this hidden all along?"

"Yes. I don't want to get kicked out of school."

"Have you told anyone?"

"Lane. Tristan knows as well."

Emily shakes her head, "You have to tell your mother."

"I can't put her through this."

"You would rather lie to her?"

"It's not that simple," she tries to explain.

"You should have told her. You should have told us. We could have helped you. You need to tell her, so she has time to wrap her head around this before you give birth."

"Can we finish conversation in a moment? I need to use the restroom."

Emily nods in agreement. Rory vacates her seat on the couch. She races into the bathroom, but she doesn't make it in time. She finds herself standing in the downstairs bathroom, with a puddle of fluid at her feet. She begins to panic, realizing that it isn't urine.

"Grandma!" She yells with a hint of terror in her voice.

Emily races toward the bathroom. She stops at the door, and knocks.

"Come in."

She opens the door, and steps into the bathroom. She finds Rory standing in the middle of the floor with a terrified look on her face.

"What's wrong?"

"I think that my…" she trails off. Emily stares at the puddle on the floor.

"Rory, have you been having contractions?"

"I don't know. I don't know what a real contraction feels like. I have been having Braxton-Hicks contractions for weeks."

Emily steps forward. She watches Rory tense up, and she places her hand on her stomach. It feels as rigid as a board.


	9. Chapter 9

Before Emily can further respond to the situation, the maid is calling for her. She approaches the open door.

"Mrs. Gilmore, you have a phone call."

"Tell whoever it is that I will call them back."

"It is your daughter, she said it was urgent."

"Tell her that I am taking Rory to the hospital, and that I will explain everything when she gets there."

"Yes, ma'am," the maid nods.

Emily grabs a couple of towels, and ushers Rory out of the house, after collecting their coats. She situates her on a bed of towels in the back seat of her car.

"Grandma it is too early. I'm not ready."

"It's okay, we will be at the hospital in ten minutes. Just breathe."

"Grandma, I need mom," she admits, with a look of terror on her face.

"She will meet us there."

"I'm scared," she continues as they pull out of the driveway.

"I know, sweetheart. Let's talk while we drive. It will help the time pass quicker."

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Is there anyone else that we need to call?" Emily queries.

"Tristan. I told him I would call him."

"Do you have your phone?"

"Yes," she reaches into the pocket of her coat.

She dials the number that Tristan has given her. He answers on the first ring.

"Rory?"

"Tristan."

"What's going on? Is everything okay?"

"I am going to the hospital."

"It's too early, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"You sound scared."

"Terrified," she corrects him.

"Rory, don't worry. I'm not going to miss this, for the world. I'm still meeting you in Hartford? Right?"

"Yes," she confirms.

"I'll be there in no time. Stall her until I get there."

"I'll do my best," she agrees, as she hangs up.

When they arrive at the hospital a nurse ushers Rory back to an exam room. Emily starts down the hall with them.

"Ma'am you're going to have to stay out here until we examine her."

"That isn't acceptable."

"Ma'am you have to let us do our jobs," she insists, "We will call you back as soon as we can."

"Okay," Emily agrees reluctantly.

The nurse whisks Rory off to a room. Emily paces the halls until Lorelai arrives. Lorelai races through the doors towards the reception area. Emily hears her talking to the clerk at the desk.

"Lorelai," Emily calls.

Lorelai turns, and rushes towards her. She waddles as she quickly moves towards her.

"Mom? What is going on? Is Rory okay?"

"Lorelai have a seat."

Lorelai is too tired to argue. Her mind races as she stares at her mother's worried facial expression. She takes a seat but Emily remains standing.

"I have been so caught up in everything that is going on in my own life I have completely missed whatever is going on with Rory. There were signs. I should have seen it. I don't understand how this happened," she begins to ramble.

"Lorelai that is not important right now," Emily responds in alarmingly calm tone.

"Why are we here?" Lorelai demands to know.

"Rory is pregnant," Emily says matter-of-factly.

"I read part of her journal. What happened? Why are we here?"

"She's in labor."

Lorelai furrows her brow, "What?! I don't understand."

"Apparently this isn't a new development. She has been keeping all of this from you for quite some time."

"How long?"

"Months, apparently."

"How do you know all of this?"

"She broke down, and told me. She was hysterical. I have never seen her like that, before."

"She shouldn't have had to go to you. She should have been able to come to me. I know what you must be thinking. How could I have let this happen? I am a failure. We shouldn't be here right now. I am her mother. I've failed her."

"Stop," Emily says sternly.

Lorelai falls silent. She waits for her mother to begin her lecture.

"Eight and a half months ago the girl who is our entire world made a life altering decision. That is neither here, nor there. I have been where you are. Lorelai I don't think you are a failure. I am sure that you are feeling a lot of things right now, but the bottom line is that we are here. Rory is scared, and we have to be here for her, whether we agree with her choices or not."

"Have you been abducted?" Lorelai furrows her brow, trying to understand her mother's insightful perspective.

"I may have learned from a few of my own mistakes," Emily admits.

"How long ago did they take her back there? Is she okay? Who is the other person involved in all of this?"

"They took her back to an exam room twenty minutes ago. I haven't heard anything yet. She mentioned someone named Tristan."

"Tristan?!" Lorelai's face puckers in confusion, and disgust.

"That is what she said."

"No," Lorelai shakes her head.

"You should go back there, they wouldn't let me."

"When have you ever let that stop you?"

"Lorelai she was terrified. She asked for you. She needs you. I will wait here."

"Okay," Lorelai nods in agreement.

Emily helps her up from her chair. Emily watches proudly as she watches her daughter channel her best Emily Gilmore. Within thirty seconds they are showing her to Rory's room. Lorelai moves as quickly as her feet will carry her. She enters the room, and finds Rory hooked up to a pile of cords, and wires. She plants a kiss on her teenager's forehead, and sinks into the chair next to her.

"Oh, Rory. I was so scared. What is going on?"

"So much."

"Kid, what have you gotten yourself into?"

"A mess. Mom, I am so sorry."

"Tell me what happened," Lorelai insists.

"I went to that party, and I kissed Tristan."

"A kiss didn't get us here."

"I know. It was stupid. I was stupid."

"What were you thinking? Didn't you use protection?"

"Yes. We did. I have heard what you have said. It is engrained in to my brain. It was just once, and we did everything that we were supposed to."

"Then how did we get here?"

"Obviously, it didn't work."

"Rory, why didn't you tell me?"

"You have so much going on. I didn't want to disappoint you. I didn't think it mattered anyway."

"What would make you say that?"

"I thought that I could keep it from you."

"For how long?"

"Forever," she nods, "I didn't think you ever had to find out. I didn't think you needed to know."

Lorelai forces herself to remain calm. She refuses to cry, though she feels as if her entire world has been turned upside down. She doesn't have to imagine how her daughter is feeling, because she knows. Finally she is able to collect her thoughts, and regain her composure.

"You didn't think that I needed to know? Rory I am your mother. I need to know everything about your life. What made you think that you could keep this from me?"

"Up until tonight I did," Rory points out.


	10. Chapter 10

Lorelai scoots the chair closes to Rory's bed. That is when the scene begins to resonate with her. She looks around the room memorizing every detail. She follows IV tubing from Rory's hand to an IV pump. A clump of cords runs from a fetal monitor to Rory's midsection. She says a silent prayer, and her hand reaches for her seventeen year old daughter. She squeezes her hand. She tries to focus on Rory's face, but she can't seem to take her eyes off the rounded edges of Rory's midsection that rest underneath her hospital gown. Rory watches in silence, uncertain of what to say, or do. Lorelai shakes her head.

"Rory how did we get here?"

The question is more than Rory can handle. The tears begin to stream down her face, before she can attempt to stop them. The tears come fast, and hard. She can barely catch her breath between the tears, and the contractions. She feels a crushing sense of anxiety, and fear. Without a single word Lorelai wraps her in her arms. Rory presses her head against her mother's shoulder. Lorelai pushes Rory's hair off her face. She can't maintain composure for a second longer. The reality hits her like a ton of bricks.

Her baby is having a baby. Before another day passes another life will join them. A life that has been growing inside of her daughter for all of these months. She wonders how she missed all of the subtleties. Her heart breaks for Rory. Her heart breaks that her only daughter, her whole world, couldn't tell her the truth. Rory lets go.

"I was angry, and hurt. For once in my life I just wanted to be rebellious, and not consider the consequences. I didn't want to be Mary, anymore. I was so tired of being the girl who was holding back, because she was afraid. So in the matter of a few moments I threw everything that I have worked for my entire life out the door. I couldn't tell you. I could barely live with the disappointment that I felt. I knew I couldn't handle your disappointment too. I didn't want to see the look in your eyes. I knew that the moment you found out I would have the image of you looking at me with such disappointment permanently burned into my memory. And there you are, looking at me like that."

"Oh, Rory."

"We both wanted more for me."

"You dreams do not have to end today."

"Mom, I'm not you. I am not as strong as you are. I am not as independent, or as fearless as you are. I can't do this. More than that, I don't want to. I made a mistake, and I can admit that. I refuse to let one mistake define the rest of my life. I am seventeen years old. I don't want to be anyone's parent. I just want to finish high school, and go to Harvard. I don't want to give up on my dreams. I can't," the tears are uncontrollable at this point.

"What are you saying?"

"I spent countless hours considering what to do, and in the end I realized that I'm just not ready. I am not in a relationship with Tristan. It is best for everyone involved if I don't…" she trails off. Her hand comes to rest on her stomach.

"You're not keeping it?" She tries to stay calm, and hide her mixed emotions.

"I want her to have two parents who love her, and give her the world. I don't want her to grow up feeling like she was a burden."

The statement nearly takes her breath away. For the first time she feels like her eyes are wide open. "Rory is that how you feel?"

"No. I didn't feel that way, but you wanted me. You always wanted me. I don't even know how to conceive of wanting her."

"Rory, I don't know what to say," she admits.

They sit in silence for the next hour. Soon there is a knock on the door. The door opens, and Emily sticks her head in. Rory wipes her eyes.

"Come in."

"I found a young man in the hallway who is looking for you," she adds.

"Come in," Rory insists.

They enter the room. Emily crosses the room, and silently takes a seat next to Lorelai. Tristan stands at the end of the bed, wearing a dark jacket, and a pair of blue jeans. His typically messy hair is now neatly cropped. He smiles at her.

"I didn't miss it, did I?"

"No. How did you get here so quickly?"

"I cashed in all of my favors, and convinced my dad to send the company helicopter. I told you I would be here."

She stares at him in complete shock.

"You thought that I would flake," he realizes.

"Yeah," she nods.

"I am slowly, but surely becoming a man of my word."

"I see that."

"So what's the verdict?" He questions.

"I am actively in labor. My mucous membranes have ruptured, and I have progressed too far for them to stop the labor."

"I thought that she wasn't due for six more weeks," he points out.

Emily chimes in, "It's probably Lorelai's impatient nature that is lurking in her blood."

"I guess today is the day, then."

"It will probably be several hours," Lorelai points out, "First babies tend to come rather slowly."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"I am already dilated to five centimeters," Rory adds.

"I guess she's in a hurry," Tristan comments.

Lorelai briefly glances out the window. She sees the first hint of a lovely white substance blowing against the window.

"Obviously she is trying to meet the first snow," Lorelai points out the window.

Rory smirks, "It seems like it."


	11. Chapter 11

Within just a few hours Rory's rather quick labor has progressed to the final stage. Medical personnel swarm the room. Lorelai, Emily, and Tristan stand to the side of the room, trying to stay out of the way. Once Rory is in position the nurse motions for Tristan. He is instructed to grab a leg, as a nurse grabs the other. Lorelai watches nervously, from a position adjacent to the bed. She looks over, and realizes that she is squeezing her mother's hand. She begins to let go.

"Sorry," she whispers.

"It's okay," Emily says softly. The two of them watch in horror as Rory delivers push, after push. After forty five minutes Rory looks utterly exhausted.

"I can't do this. I'm too tired," Rory relents.

"You're almost there. I am looking at the head," the nurse reassures her.

Lorelai steps forward. She looks at Rory. "Honey I know that you're tired, but you can't give up. A few more big strong pushes, and that baby is going to be out. You can do it. I promise."

She takes a deep breath, and nods in agreement. Her hair is sloppily secured in a bun. Lorelai holds her hand as she pushes. From the angle she is at, she can see everything. She watches in complete silence as she watches the physician slide a cord from around the baby's neck. The nurse clears the baby's airway as the doctor delivers the baby's shoulder.

"Rory come on, one more push," Lorelai cheers her on.

With one final push the baby finally enters the world. The room is filled with excitement, and anxiety, as the newborn is lifted onto Rory's chest. The room falls silent as they wait for the newborn to cry. She is grey, and silent. Rory stares at the slimy newborn feeling completely petrified.

"Come on baby girl," she coos.

A loud wail fills the room, and the baby quickly turns a shade of bright pink. Everyone in the room breathes a sigh of relief. They quickly whisk the baby across the room into an incubator. Lorelai, and Tristan follow the baby, as Emily stays at Rory's side. The nurse holds up the scissors.

"Who wants to cut the cord?"

Lorelai points to the young man next to her, "He does."

He nervously clips the umbilical cord. Lorelai snaps a picture of the baby girl with a disposable camera, as he clips the cord. She looks over at the teenage boy.

"What are your first thoughts?"

He smiles at her, without ever taking his eyes off the newborn baby girl, "She's perfect."

Less than an hour later the medical personnel have left the room. They have whisked the baby off to the nursery to examine her.

"Where did Tristan go?" Rory questions, as she failed to see him leave.

"Rory, he went to the nursery with the baby," Lorelai tells her.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I confirmed this," Emily adds.

"Oh. I hope everything is okay."

"I am sure they will bring her back very shortly," Lorelai reassures her.

"Yeah."

"Unless you don't want them to," Lorelai responds.

"I only got to hold her for a second."

"Rory, I think I am going to go down to the cafeteria, and get something to drink," Emily announces.

"Okay," she agrees.

"I'll bring back coffee," she turns to leave.

After Emily leaves Lorelai scoots her chair closer to Rory's bed.

"I need you to talk to me," Lorelai implores.

"I have never been so scared in my entire life," Rory admits.

"It is scary."

"Do you think she is okay? She's so tiny. They whisked her away so quickly."

"They just want to check her out. Tristan is with her."

"I know."

"Are you doing okay?"

"Physically?"

"I don't expect you to be okay physically. You just pushed a five pound human being out of you. What are you thinking?"

"I just need to see her, so that I know she's okay."

"Rory, are you sure about this? I will support whatever decision that you make."

"I'm sure."

"Okay."

Emily soon returns with coffee. They all wait anxiously for the baby to return. Half an hour later Rory has just dozed off, when there is a knock at the door. Tristan sticks his head in. He smiles widely.

"I brought a visitor."

Lorelai silently motions for him to come in. He enters the room, pushing the basinet with him. Rory snoozes as he comes into the room.

"Who's first?" He whispers.

"You. Rory just fell asleep," Lorelai responds.

"I already got to hold her."

"Lorelai," Emily insists.

He carefully lifts the newborn out of the cradle, and places her in Lorelai's arms. The newborn stares up at her with bright blue eyes.

"She has been given a clean bill of health. She has had a bath, though probably not as thorough of one as she would have gotten if they hadn't permitted me to do it. Also, once I wiped away that lovely goo I found hair."

Lorelai grins, as she peels off the newborn's cap. "Huh."

Emily turns towards her, "Huh."

Rory's eyes flutter open, "Is something wrong? Why are you looking at her like that?"

Without a word Emily slips the baby out of Lorelai's arms. She steps forward, and places the newborn into Rory's arms.

"She has red hair," Rory comments.

Lorelai hands her the baby's cap. Rory places the cap on her, and studies the brand new baby, in silence.

"Rory we're going to give you a few minutes. The three of us are going to go grab a snack."

"Okay," she agrees.

Within a few seconds she finds herself alone in the room with a brand new life that she has brought into the world. The baby stares up at her, expectantly.

"Welcome to the world Lola. It's nice to finally get to see what you look like."

The baby yawns.

"You're pretty tired after all of that, huh?"

She quickly inserts her fingers into her mouth.

"And hungry too?"


	12. Chapter 12

As they walk through the hallway Lorelai turns, and looks at Tristan. She tilts her head, and her filter malfunctions.

"Tristan I need to ask you something."

"Okay," he nods in agreement.

"Why Rory?"

He furrows his brow, "What are you talking about?"

"Why my daughter? Why did you pick her out a crowd of Chilton girls, and think, she seems…"

Emily scolds, "Lorelai."

"No, it's okay. She's gorgeous, and smart, and didn't have the time of day for me. She wasn't interested, and that made her all the more interesting to me, I guess. We were both upset about our prospective break-ups. We kissed. I never wanted any of this to happen."

"Really?" She cocks an eyebrow.

"I didn't plan this. You can hate me if you want. I will be the bad guy. I have been labeled a trouble maker most of my life."

"Most seventeen year old young men wouldn't have had the courage to show up here today."

"I have done a lot of screwed up things in my life. I have made a lot of mistakes. I didn't want one of them to be not being there the day that my daughter was born. She may never give me a second thought. I may never see her again, as long as I live. In the end I had to do this for myself, and because for once in my life I thought I should honor the commitment that I made. It was the least that I could do."

Several minutes later they return to Rory's room. They enter the room, and find Rory snuggling the newborn baby girl.

"Mom why don't you, and grandma go home? Get some rest."

"Are you sure?" Lorelai questions.

"Yeah," she nods.

"I'll stay with her," Tristan offers.

"Are you sure?" Rory quizzes.

"If that's alright with you."

"Okay," she agrees.

"We'll see you later," Lorelai kisses them. She snaps a picture of them, and leaves the camera on the bedside table, before they leave the premises.

"She's perfect," he tells her.

"Tristan do you think that we're going the right thing?"

He falls silent. She offers the newborn to him. He slips the baby from her arms, and takes a seat in the chair next to her bed. Without a word he places the bottle into the baby's mouth. He stares at the newborn baby girl in complete and total silence.

"Are you asking me if we're doing the right thing, or if this is what I want?

She scrutinizes his facial expression. "What do you mean?"

"Two high school kids placing their baby up for adoption is the right thing to do."

"Then why does it feel so crummy?"

He doesn't answer her. She lies in the bed staring at him as he feeds their newborn baby. Suddenly nothing makes sense to her anymore.

* * *

Lorelai follows Emily into the house. Somehow she has been convinced to stay in Hartford overnight. An hour later they have both showered, and retired to their respective beds. Lorelai finds herself restless, and exits her room. She paces the hall, until she reaches her mother's room. She gently knocks on the door.

"Come in. I'm not asleep either."

Lorelai enters the room, and finds her mother sitting on the bed, on top of her linens with the bedside lamp on. Emily locks eyes with Lorelai. She scoots to the middle of the bed. Lorelai takes a seat on the edge of the bed.

"I can't sleep."

"Neither can I."

"What just happened?" Lorelai tries to wrap her head around the whirlwind of events.

"Everything changed."

"Why didn't she tell me? Rory tells me everything."

"She didn't want to disappoint you. Face it, there is a lot on your plate right now."

Lorelai leans back, and folds her arms across her chest. The unborn baby boy in her uterus kicks her.

"She should have come to me."

"And what would you have said?" Emily queries.

"Something I would have regretted. Mom, I am sorry for…"

Emily cuts her off, "Never apologize to me for Rory."

"I know how disappointed you were when you found out that I was pregnant."

"You have raised a beautiful, intelligent, thoughtful young woman."

"Who got knocked up at sixteen," Lorelai points out.

"To err is human."

A sudden realization hits her like a ton of bricks, "I am a grandma."

"She says that she is going to place the baby for adoption."

"Logically it seems like the right thing to do. They are both seventeen. Neither one of them have finished high school. Neither one of them have any clue how to take care of a baby. They have no means to support her. They need to finish high school, and college."

"All of those things are true," Emily agrees.

"Then why do I feel like someone ripped my heart out of my chest, and stomped on it repeatedly?"

"No matter how angry, or disappointed you are that little girl is your baby's baby."

"Did you feel the same?"

"The second I saw Rory. Then I saw the way you looked at her, and…" she trails off.

"And your heart grew four sizes that day," she quips.

"Something like that," Emily doesn't even argue.

"What am I supposed to do?"

"You have to let her make the choice."

"What if she makes the wrong one?"

"Then you help pick her back up when she does."

"I want to go back to the hospital, and watch them sleep."

"I use to tiptoe in your room at night, when Rory was a baby, and just watch the two of you. You would fall asleep with her on your chest. I never worried about her being okay. You protected her like a mama bear from the second you found out that she existed, and I have to commend that."

"I don't know how to help her."

Emily shakes her head, "Lorelai, you are the only one who knows how to help her."

"I wish that she had come to me. I have read her journal from cover to cover, and I still just don't understand how we got here."

"We're here now."

"You must be relieved," Lorelai adds.

Emily furrows her brow, "What do you mean?"

"You don't have to go through the painful process of explaining another teenage pregnancy to your social circle."

Emily shakes her head, "I am not worried about my social circle. I am worried about my three Lorelai's."

"They will probably change the baby's name to something else. It will probably be something stupid like Molly, or Maddie."

Emily grins, "Remember how you kept telling me that you were going to name Rory, Stevie?"

"I remember," she laughs.


	13. Chapter 13

He sits next to her in silence. He watches them as they sleep. The baby sleeps soundly against Rory's chest. He reaches over, and picks up the camera off the table. He snaps a picture, and then vacates his seat. He walks over to the side of the bed, and carefully attempts to pry the baby from Rory's grip, without waking her. He fails miserably. Her eyes flutter open.

"What are you doing?" She asks sheepishly.

"Sorry."

"Do you want her?"

"Yes," he nods.

"All you have to do is ask."

"Okay," he agrees as he carefully slips the sleeping baby from her grip. He settles back into his chair, and Rory's eyes quickly close once again. He cradles the newborn baby in his arms.

"Hi, beautiful," he greets the little girl. Her eyes flutter open, and she looks at him. "Go back to sleep, sweet girl," he coos.

* * *

Lorelai wakes up the next morning, feeling disoriented. She rubs her eyes, and tries to make sense of her surroundings. She finds herself lying in bed, next to her mother. Between them is a pile of photo albums from Rory's childhood. She sits up, and her hand comes to rest on her stomach. Reality begins to set in. She looks over at her mother. She nudges her awake. Emily rolls over to face Lorelai.

"What time is it?" She yawns.

Lorelai glances past her mother, at the alarm clock on her bedside stand. "Five after six."

"Are you ready to get up?"

"I'm exhausted," she admits.

"Go back to sleep," Emily suggests.

"Are you kidding me? We have to get back to the hospital."

"You didn't bring anything to wear," Emily points out.

"Hence why I'm wearing dad's pajamas."

"They don't even fit him. He has put on some weight lately."

Lorelai grins, "He's not the only one."

"You have an excuse."

* * *

Lorelai knocks on the hospital door, as Emily has insisted on carrying the coffee, and doughnuts. There is no response, so Lorelai carefully pokes her head in. Once she realizes that everyone is decent she pushes the door open. Emily tiptoes into the room, behind her. She finds Tristan sitting in a chair next to Rory's bed, sound asleep, with the baby nestled against his chest.

"Tristan," Lorelai whispers.

His eyes flutter open, "Hey."

"Where is Rory?"

"Shower," he answers.

"How long have you been holding her?"

"Most of the night."

"Can you feel your arms?" Lorelai questions.

"Nope," he smiles.

"Can I take her? I'll trade you for a cup of coffee, and some doughnuts."

"Okay."

She slips the tiny baby from his arms. Emily stands next to her, in silence. Without another word Lorelai places the baby in Emily's arm. Emily quietly sinks into a chair, and marvels at the sleeping newborn.

"She's so tiny."

"Did she keep you up?" Lorelai asks.

"The baby? No. The nurses were in, and out all night, but she was a gem. The only time she cries is when she's hungry."

"How very Gilmore of her," Lorelai admits.

Tristan locks eyes with Lorelai, as he sips his coffee. For the first time she sees a glimmer of something in his eyes, she didn't notice before.

"Tristan, let's go for a walk. I am sure that you could use a good stretch. Mom is perfectly capable of holding onto the baby until we get back."

"Okay," he agrees.

They make it a hundred feet down the hallway, before either one of them says anything. Tristan stops abruptly. He makes eye contact with Lorelai, as he wears a look of despair.

"Tristan, what's wrong?" Lorelai reads his facial expression.

"I can't do this."

"Do what?"

"I can't go back to North Carolina tomorrow, like nothing happened. I thought that I could, but I can't. I don't know what I have to do to rectify this, but…" he begins to ramble.

"Slow down," she warns. She studies the weary looking teenager with dark circles under his eyes.

"Miss Gilmore," he begins.

"Lorelai," she corrects him.

"I understand why she wants to do this. She deserves to finish Chilton, and go to Harvard."

"But?"

"I have never done anything right in my entire life. I screw up every single opportunity that I get."

"I am sure that isn't true."

"I can't do this," he reiterates.

Lorelai tilts her head, and tries to discern his meaning. Logically he should mean be a father, but the look on his face tells her otherwise.

"I want what is best for her, I do."

"Tristan, what are you telling me?"

"What if this is the one thing that I do right? I want my daughter. I don't want to walk away from her," a single tear trails down his cheek, "I want to be there for her. I want to be her dad. I have means. I can provide for her."

"You don't want to place her for adoption? Tristan I don't think that either of you are ready to be parents."

"I will learn. I will do whatever it takes to be the dad that she deserves."

"I have to admit, I am really caught off guard. I didn't expect this from you."

"Neither did I. I thought I would come here, and get to hold her, and be perfectly fine telling her goodbye, and never looking back. I always run, when things get hard. I have lead a life of privilege, with little responsibility."

"What changed?"

"No one has ever been my whole world before."

"Did you tell Rory how you're feeling?"

"She asked me if we were doing the right thing."

"What did you say?"

"I told her that we were doing the right thing."

"But?"

"I reminded her that she didn't ask me if it was what I wanted to do. I think that she just assumed."

"What happens in a couple of months from now when you are deliriously sleep deprived, and you run home to your mom, and dad? Do you just leave that baby? Or what happens when one of your buddies calls you up, and invites you to some party?"

"Does it matter? I'm never going to get the chance to prove myself. She has made up her mind."


	14. Chapter 14

Rory comes out of the bathroom with wet hair, and a fresh hospital gown. Her hair is wrapped in a towel. She slowly moves towards the bed. She settles herself on the edge of the bed. She acknowledges her grandmother's presence, but she doesn't make eye contact. Emily quietly watches the newborn that is nestled in her arms.

"Do you know when they are going to release you?"

"They said tomorrow," Rory says quietly, in a reserved tone.

"Have you had the chance to call the adoption agency?"

"Not yet."

"You should let them know."

Rory glances at the clock on the wall, and avoids the subject. "She will be awake any minute."

"That's okay."

"She will be hungry."

Emily points to the bottle on the bedside table, "There is bottle right there. I still remember how to feed a baby."

"I was foolish, and naïve," Rory answers.

"What do you mean?"

"To think that this would be easy, because it was right."

Emily finds herself scrutinizing the sleeping baby, in her arms. She finds Lorelai's lips pursed, as the infant sleeps. She sees Rory's nose, and ears, and chin. She can't seem to find much of Tristan in the little girl. It is plain to see that the baby is a Gilmore.

"Can I have her?" Rory questions.

Emily smiles, "Of course." She rises to her feet, and places the newborn into Rory's waiting arms. Rory is pale, and appears beyond exhausted. The second that the newborn reaches Rory's arms her eyes flutter open. Rory swings her feet over the side, and leans back in the bed.

"Grandma, I can't do this."

"Do what, Rory?"

"There is no way that I can just give her so someone else to raise. I never knew it was possible to love another person this much. I feel like my heart has begun beating outside of my body."

Emily nods, "That is what it feels like to be someone's mother."

"Can you get Mom?"

"Of course."

Within a few moments Lorelai returns to the room. Emily agrees to drop Tristan off at his house to grab a shower, and a clean change of clothes.

"How are the two of you doing, in here?" Lorelai grins.

"She's fine. I personally, feel as if I have been run over by a Mack truck that then proceeded to back over top of my body, before it left the scene."

"That sounds about right. She came quickly, huh?"

"I don't know why she was so impatient to get out here. It's bright, and it smells weird. The only thing I can figure is that she really wanted a cup of coffee."

"I am certain that you are going to blame me for that."

"It is obvious that you are to blame in the matter."

"Rory, they are going to release you tomorrow."

"Mom, I can't do it."

"Do what?"

"Leave her. She is so tiny, and fragile. She is constantly hungry, which isn't surprising to anyone. She is this perfect, sweet little baby. I don't even like babies."

"It is a lot different when it is your baby."

Rory breaks eye contact with her mother. She marvels at the tiny, warm being nestled in her arms. "My baby," she whispers.

"Can you bear to give her to someone else?"

A long pregnant pause befalls them. They study each other's facial expressions, and body language, as the seconds tick by. Before Rory has a chance to answer Lola begins wailing. Without a second thought Rory grabs the bottle off the bedside stand. The baby's red face disappears, as she vigorously sucks on the bottle.

"Rory?"

"This changes everything."

"A baby always does."  
"I want to keep her."

"Honey I knew that the second I saw you lay eyes on her."

"Tristan is going to be furious. He is going to hate me. He didn't want this. We weren't even dating, and now we have a baby. This is insane."

"He isn't going to hate you."

"He doesn't want this," Rory argues.

"You're wrong."

Rory furrows her brow, "What are you talking about?"

"He was trying to figure out how to tell you that he wants to keep her."

"How would that even work?"

Lorelai shrugs, "I don't know. That is something the two of you are going to have to work out."

Tristan enters the study, and finds his father on the telephone. He sinks into a seat on the opposite side of the desk, and waits for Roland to disconnect. The phone call comes to an end, and Roland turns towards his son.

"Tristan," he begins in an accusatory tone, "Are you going to tell me why you had the company helicopter summoned? Can you explain to me why you left school at nine o'clock at night, when curfew is eight thirty?"

"I know that I have screwed up so many times, that you are at your wits end with me. Dad, I get it. Can you just hear me out?"

He exhales, "I am not giving you anymore chances, Tristan. This was your last chance. I am going to have to close your trust fund, and sell your car."

"That seems reasonable."

Roland realizes Tristan lacks his typical sense of defiance. He takes a deep breath, and gives his son an opportunity to explain, "What is going on?"

"You are going to be angry with me."

"I often am, son."

"I have a proposal. I would like for you to assist me in finishing school, and obtaining a decent job once I have. I know that you expect me to go to college, but I am not entirely sure that is the right fit for me. I understand why you want to cut off my funds, but I do ask that you allow me a small monthly stipend to take care of my responsibilities."

"What responsibilities? I was unaware that word was even part of your vocabulary."

"This is the part where you are going to get angry."

"Tristan, I am already upset. Just tell me. How bad can it be?"

"I got a girl pregnant."

"Tristan! I am not going to bail you out this time. Figure it out on your own."

"I just want to be able to provide for my daughter."

Roland falls silent. He carefully examines his teenaged son. He wears a pair of khaki's, and a polo, which are wrinkled. His cropped hair looks greasy, as if he hasn't had the opportunity to shower. He has dark circles under his eyes. He notices a bracelet around his left wrist.

"Tristan what is going on?"

"I slept with this girl, her name is Rory. She isn't like the type of girls that I usually bring around. She is a good girl. I didn't tell you when I found out, because she wanted to give the baby up for adoption."

"How long have you known?"

"A while."

"How far along is she?"

"She's not."

He furrows his brow, "I don't understand."

"The baby was born at twelve oh nine a.m. She was born six weeks before her due date. She weighed five pounds, and she has red hair," he gushes.

Roland scratches his head, "Are you suggesting to me, that you want to play an active role in this girl's life? You want to be involved? You want to support her?"

"I want to be her father. For once in my life I want to do something right. I know that this isn't what you pictured for me. You want me to go to college, and become a respectable adult. The last thing you want to have to explain to your friends is your teenage son having a baby."

Roland cuts him off, "Are you being genuine, right now?"

"Yes, sir."


	15. Chapter 15

Tristan enters the hospital room, with his father. Roland quietly takes a seat on the window sill. Tristan makes a beeline for Rory. Lorelai vacates her chair, and joins Roland in the back of the room.

"Rory I know you want to finish Chilton, and go to Harvard. I want that for you."

"But?"

"As crazy as it sounds, I don't want to give her up for adoption. I…"

She cuts him off, "Neither do I."

"I'm not going to let you do this alone. We will figure this out."

The following morning Rory is released from the hospital. Tristan returns to his parent's house, to collect some of his belongings. Lorelai ushers Rory out of the hospital into the car. She begins to back out of her space in garage. Rory sits in the back seat, staring at the baby strapped into the middle seat.

"She has like three outfits, that grandma bought her. What am I going to do after that? I don't have anything ready for her."  
"Let's just cross that bridge when we get to it."

"What am I going to say to people?"

"Today we are just going to go home, and be left alone."

"That is highly unlikely."

"I called in a favor."

"With who?"

"Luke."

* * *

There is a crowd of people gathered around the town square when they drive by. Not a single eye turns to look at them. They pull in the driveway, and quickly exit the vehicle. Rory makes a beeline for the couch. She sits the baby down, in her car seat, on the coffee table. Lorelai grabs the mail from the box, and joins her. She closes the door, and drops the pile of mail on the table in the hallway. She turns, and finds Rory sitting on the couch, gawking at the sleeping baby.

"Rory?"

She turns, and looks at her mother, "Now what?"

"What do you mean?"

"What do I do with her now?" Rory queries.

"How much sleep did you get last night?"

"About two hours, I guess."

"Sweetie, I think that you are delirious. Why don't you go lay down, and take a nap?"

"I don't want to miss anything."

"Rory, she's sleeping."

"She is my responsibility. I…"

Lorelai cuts her off, "I am telling you to go take a nap. I am capable of keeping her alive until you wake up. I will watch her. Tristan said he will be over around lunchtime. I can certainly handle her until then."

"I don't have anywhere to put her. This isn't _Little House on the Prarie_ , I can't put her in a drawer," she begins to ramble.

"Go take a nap, and we will discuss it when you are thinking a little more clearly."

"Okay," Rory reluctantly agrees. She kisses the sleeping baby, on the cheeks, and evacuates the living room. As she crawls into her bed she wonders if it has always been so comfortable.

Once Lorelai is certain that Rory is tucked away in her room, she turns her attention to the baby girl sleeping on her coffee table. She takes a seat on the couch. She grins at the baby, as she leans forward.

"Unlike your mommy, I know what to do with you. I get to squeeze you, and love you, and snuggle you. Then I get to spoil you rotten, and give you back," she explains as she frees the baby from her restraints. Within seconds the infant is in her arms. Her eyes open, and she looks around at her surroundings. Lorelai glances at her watch, and sighs in relief that it isn't time for her to eat yet. She places the baby on her lap. The baby girl stares up at the ceiling.

"Welcome home little girl," the sound of Lorelai's voice shifts the baby's focus. She looks up at her, in silence. "Did you know that you are the fourth Lorelai? There is the first Lorelai, also known as Gran, or Trix. The second Lorelai is, me. I am… your mommy's mom. A lot of people would suggest calling me grandma, or something along those lines. Lorelai is perfectly fine, I am really far too young to be anyone's grandma. The third Lorelai is your mommy. Lorelai Leigh, but everyone calls her Rory. I think your dad used to refer to her as Mary, but not anymore, for obvious reasons. That brings us to you, the fourth Lorelai. Lorelai Emilia Gilmore. You are named after the three Lorelai's, and my mother, Emily. She is your great-grandma. We are going to call you Lola," the tiny little girl watches her the entire time she is speaking.

A knock on the door jolts them into reality. Lorelai slowly vacates her seat on the couch. She opens the door, and finds Luke standing in front of her. She ushers him in. He offers her coffee, and doughnuts. She leads him to the coffee table. He places the car seat on the floor, and replaces it with refreshments. Luke stands next to her, in silence. He scrutinizes the bright eyed baby in her arms.

"Could you take her?"

"Where is Rory?"

"Napping."

He grunts. She takes this sound effect as an agreement. She places the baby in his arms. Lorelai reaches for a cup of coffee. Luke studies the bright eyed baby that is nestled in his arms.

"Sixteen years," he says, staring at Lola.

"Sixteen years?" Lorelai questions after sipping her coffee.

"I am not supplying her with coffee for at least sixteen years," he insists.

"Lola loves coffee. We give it to her in her bottle," she jests.

"Seriously, Lorelai," he grimaces, "How are you going to do this? You are like eleven months pregnant, and your teenager just had a baby that we were all totally unprepared for. You know that you can't hide her from the townspeople very long. They are like vultures."

"We just need a couple of days."

He cocks an eye brow, "A couple of days? Does she turn back into a pumpkin after a couple of days?"

"To get settled," Lorelai clarifies.

"Do you have what you need for her?"

"I have already had my baby shower, so I have plenty of diapers, and wipes for the time being."

"Does she have clothes?"

"She is wearing clothes, isn't she?"

He peels back a corner of the blanket, and finds an outfit that matches the hat on her head. Lola grimaces. He covers her back up.

"Lorelai does she have what she needs?"

"Hardly."

"I can stay here, if you want to go get some things."

She breaks eye contact. Her glance falls on her heavily pregnant stomach. She lowers herself onto the couch. He positions himself on the arm, as he willingly holds Rory's sweet, little baby girl. Lorelai places her cup of coffee on the table in front of her. She turns towards Luke, but her focus quickly shifts to the baby in his arms.

"This is such a mess."


	16. Chapter 16

He waits a beat before he says anything. He tries to find something comforting to say. He attempts to prepare a valid argument against what she has just said. She looks at him with her big blue eyes, as if she is peering into her soul. They both know that there is no argument to be had. There are no words of comfort to be breathed, when your seventeen year old daughter has just give birth to a baby, which you knew nothing about. There is no denying the difficult nature of the situation. Just as there is no denying the tangible evidence of a foolish choice between two teenagers.

"What can I do to help?" He quizzes.

"I could meet my mother in Hartford, and get some things for Lola. Can you stay here for an hour, until Tristan arrives?"

"Who the hell is Tristan?"

"The other half of the equation."

"I didn't know she was dating someone named Tristan," he admits.

"She wasn't," Lorelai cringes as she answers.

"Oh."

"I guess if there was any doubt that she was my daughter…"

He cuts her off, "Don't do that. Don't do that to yourself. She is a good kid."

"Luke! Are you looking at the same scenario that I am?" She begins to raise her voice.

"Shh! Rory is sleeping," he reminds her.

"I am staring at my seventeen year old daughter's baby. I am having a really hard time wrapping my head around how we even got here. She couldn't even tell me? What kind of parent am I? My kid couldn't even come to me when she was in trouble."

"Lorelai, stop. Don't do this to yourself. I will stay with Lola until the baby daddy arrives."

Lorelai grins, "What am I saying? I can't leave you here with her. You don't know the first thing about babies."

"I have a younger sister," He reminds her.

"That was a long time ago."

"And a nephew. I know how to change a diaper. I am not completely helpless. Besides, Rory is just in the other room."

"You're right. I have to go get supplies."

* * *

The maid opens the door, and Lorelai steps into the foyer. The maid offers to take her coat.

"I am just meeting my mother."

"Okay," she agrees, as she leaves the area.

"Mom?" Lorelai calls out.

"My car is out front. It's unlocked. Meet me in the car," Emily says frantically.

Lorelai heeds her warning. She turns, and makes a beeline for the black Mercedes in the driveway. She climbs into the passenger's seat, and watches as her mother races out of the house. Emily turns on the car, and pulls out of the drive before her seat belt is even fastened. Emily fastens her seat belt halfway down the block.

"Mom? What is going on? Why were you in such a hurry to get out of the house?"

"Your father came home this morning."

"Oh," her heart sinks.

"I had just gotten back from developing pictures," she adds.

"Oh, no."

Emily points to the purse between them, "They are in my purse if you want to look at them."

"How bad?"

"Would you mind if I joined you in Stars Hollow for the rest of the afternoon?"

"That would be fine."

"Lorelai?"

"Hm?" She answers as she stares out her window.

"Are you okay?"

"Nope."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Nope."

"You need to talk about it."

"I am not the perfect parent, I know that. I have not always made the best choices. Hence my current state of being. I was raising this sweet, smart, witty kid. I don't understand how this happened. I taught her better. She isn't me. She knew better. She wasn't rebellious, like I was."

"Lorelai she is a teenaged girl. She was curious, and naïve. She made a mistake."

"And she is going to spend the next eighteen years raising the mistake that she made."

"Who are you really angry at here?"

"I am angry at myself for not protecting her. That is my job. I am angry at myself, because I was so wrapped up in my own life, that I didn't even see what was going on right in front of my face. She was too scared to tell me that she was pregnant. She hid it from me for eight, and half months. How could I be so self-centered?"

"She didn't want you to know."

"I am her mother. I should have known."

"Other people are going to blame you for this. Where were you? How could you not have known? The truth is, it's not your fault. You cannot watch your child every single second of every single day to make sure that everything you have taught them sticks, and that they always make the right choices. Do you blame me, for you getting pregnant at sixteen?"

Lorelai falls silent. She analyzes her past actions. Her mother's actions pushed her to leave the house. Her mother's actions pushed her to be sneaky. "I was rebellious. I tried to buck all of your rules. It wasn't your fault I got pregnant. I am the one who chose to have sex. I knew what to do to prevent pregnancy, and I did nothing to stop it. I was young, and I thought that things like that happened to other people. It wouldn't happen to me. None of that was your fault."

"Rory is seventeen. You are responsible for her, as her parent. She is at an age where she is responsible for her own choices."

"I know."

"What did she decide, in regards to school?"

"I spoke to the headmaster this morning, and explained that Rory had been in the hospital, and that she was incapacitated. I explained that she would be out until the first of the year."

"I assume that did not go over well."

"I explained that the doctor had written her off until them, and that Rory would gladly do all of her work from home."

"Have you spoken to Max?"

"Briefly. He doesn't know all of the details. He is coming over tonight to put the crib together. He agreed to proctor Rory's exams since he is in Stars Hollow on a regular basis."

"Lorelai are you disappointed that you're having a boy?"

"No. I just don't know what to do with a boy," she admits.

"I know you were disappointed in the wardrobe choices."

"It's all trucks, and trains, and footballs."

"What were you expecting?"

She shrugs, "I don't know."

"Here is your chance to buy everything pink, and frilly."


End file.
